MMA – BAHRAIN enjoyed a sensational four-medal haul – headlined by three gold medals – in mixed martial arts (MMA) yesterday in the third Asian Youth Games in the kingdom.
Bahrainis Eldar Eldarov, Abdulakim Babaev, and Ibragim Khalidov all claimed the titles in their respective competition categories at Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB).
Sultanakhmed Sultanakhmedov added a silver medal, completing an impressive day for the kingdom’s MMA team as the curtains came down on the combat sport’s programme in Bahrain.
Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa was in attendance to watch Bahrain’s fighters claim their places atop their podiums.
BOC vice-president and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) vice-president for the third Asian Youth Games Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa was also on hand, along with Bahrain MMA Federation president Mohammed Qambar and Bahrain Combat Sports Council member and Bahrain Jiu-Jitsu Federation president Redha Monfaredi.
Qambar and Monfaredi, along with Bahrain’s Chef de Mission, BOC executive director of operations, and the Games’ executive committee deputy chairman Ahmed Abdulghaffar presented the Bahrainis their gold medals during the podium ceremonies.
“From the beginning of the Asian Youth Games, Team Bahrain has been waiting for gold medals, and finally we did it,” Bahrain’s MMA coach Sharap Gitinov told the GDN yesterday.
“We are very excited to have won three gold medals for Team Bahrain in the MMA competitions.
“We are also very happy with our silver-medallist, and next time, inshaallah, I know that we can bring all gold medals for the kingdom.
“I hope that other sports will do the same, and we will have more gold medals until the end of the Games.”
Bahrain’s MMA head tactician Eldar Khan added: “Proud of our MMA team – for now, we have brought the most medals for Bahrain in this Games.”
All three gold-medallists secured their crowns in style yesterday – winning their fights with devastating neck submissions.
Eldarov was first to strike gold – which was Bahrain’s first of this year’s Asian Youth Games – in the boys’ 60kg modern MMA category.
He was engaged in a tough battle with his opponent Mukhammadrasul Kadirdinov from Kyrgyzstan, but eventually submitted him with just under a minute-and-a-half remaining in round two.
Sharing the bronze medals were Aliasghar Moradi from Iran and Muhammad Saidzoda from Tajikistan.
Babaev followed suit by taking the boys’ 65kg modern MMA final against Haif Hassan Alqahtani from Saudi Arabia.
Babaev needed just over a minute in the contest before forcing Alqahtani to tap out in round one.
Winning the bronze medals were Kamronbek Kodirov from Uzbekistan and Amir Serik from Kazakhstan.
Khalidov then added Bahrain’s third gold medal in quick succession, emerging triumphant in the boys’ 70kg modern MMA title-decider.
Facing Albaraa Ibrahim Alajam from Saudi, Khalidov secured his submission victory a little over a minute into the second round.
Coming away with a bronze medal apiece were Abdulboriy Abdugofurov from Uzbekistan and Daryn Mustafin from Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, Sultanakhmedov missed out on the gold medal in the boys’ 65kg traditional MMA final after losing by majority decision to Sanzhar Kartay from Kazakhstan.
Sultanakhmedov was the first of Bahrain’s four fighters to hit the mat yesterday at EWB, giving the national team a strong start to the day.
Sharing the bronze medals in their group were Hisham Ibrahim Alajam from Saudi and Gibran Alfarizi from Indonesia.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))